In early February, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles has cancer and that he had personally informed his sons ahead of the announcement. Within the same news cycle, the palace confirmed that Prince Harry was flying to the UK to see his father in person. Within the following 48 hours, we saw nothing but PANIC from Kensington Palace and the press. Royal commentators cried about how Harry needs to “come back” because William “needs” him. William’s office went on a rampage, briefing all of their friendliest reporters that William does not need his brother, that William hates Harry and William “refused” to see or speak to Harry during his visit. At the end of the day, Harry made a whirlwind 24-hour visit, stayed at a hotel and only saw his dad for less than an hour, then he flew back to America in time to make a surprise appearance at the NFL Honors. Now People Magazine claims that Harry did try to get in touch with William around that same time but… nothing happened and they didn’t see each other.
Prince Harry and Prince William’s lack of interaction during the Duke of Sussex’s recent trip to the U.K. to see King Charles amid the news of his cancer diagnosis highlights the hurt between the brothers.
Prince Harry, 39, has made no secret of his desire for reconciliation and is thought to have reached out to Prince William, 41, but there were “no plans” to meet, a palace source said at the time of the visit. A former courtier suggests that the Prince of Wales’ “principal concern is his wife” Kate Middleton amid her recovery from abdominal surgery, yet Harry spent just 24 hours in his home country to briefly see his father without a visit with his brother’s family.
“It would be the normal run of things to go and see your sister-in-law who’s had a serious operation and also see your niece and nephews. But it isn’t normal. It’s terribly sad,” a source close to the royal household tells PEOPLE exclusively in this week’s cover story.
“The family torment is an open sore. There is such a profound breach there,” adds Catherine Mayer, author of the biography Charles: The Heart of a King.
Trust continues to be a concern following the Duke of Sussex’s memoir, Spare, and the revealing Netflix docuseries with his wife, Meghan Markle. During Harry’s visit with his father, which lasted about 30 minutes, Queen Camilla made a deliberate effort to be in the room.
“This is all to do with William’s wish to protect the institution of the monarchy, which he feels Harry can’t be trusted with. I don’t think William will ever agree to readmission of Harry into the family unless he clearly apologizes and moves forward,” royal author Robert Lacey tells PEOPLE.
Prince Harry may have another opportunity to reconnect with his family in May when he’s expected to visit the U.K. for the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. However, a reconciliation with his brother is unlikely, and it’s even more doubtful that King Charles will mediate any healing between his sons.
“Of course he would like Harry to be the prodigal son and come back and would be much happier if William and Harry were friends again. But he realizes that is just not about to happen,” says royal biographer Ingrid Seward, author of My Mother and I.
Adds a palace insider: “Families are complicated. They may be a high-profile family, but they still have a lot of the same issues as everyone else.”
I don’t get this: “It would be the normal run of things to go and see your sister-in-law who’s had a serious operation and also see your niece and nephews. But it isn’t normal.” They’re mad that Harry didn’t barge into Adelaide Cottage uninvited just to check on Kate? If these sources are correct, Harry did text his brother or try to get in contact in some way, but William either shut him down or didn’t answer – all while William was furiously briefing everyone about how much he still despises Harry. Harry made the effort to get in touch (once again) and that was that.
As for “Of course he would like Harry to be the prodigal son and come back” – that’s exactly what they tried to design, that Harry and Meghan would divorce, he would leave his wife and children in America and “the prodigal son” would return to the UK, broke, divorced and willing to be their doormat and f–kup.
Also: Robert Lacey certainly turned into William’s full-time guy, huh? I remember when Lacey used to talk around the truth about William and leave breadcrumbs about William’s violence, rage and incompetence. Then Lacey got co-opted and now he says sh-t like “I don’t think William will ever agree to readmission of Harry into the family unless he clearly apologizes and moves forward.” Harry has nothing to apologize for, dumbass.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Avalon Red.